Lone Star Ball: An SB Nation Community

Navigation: Jump to content areas:


Pro Quality. Fan Perspective.
Around SBN: The Record of Wrongs: Vanderbilt Commodores

Jim Callis chat and Ask BA

Jim Callis did a chat session at the DMN today, full of a lot of good stuff, which you should check out.

Callis also fields a question about Justin Smoak in the latest Ask BA, explaining why he'd rather have Brian Matusz than Smoak, even though Smoak is the more highly rated prospect.

 

0 recs  |  Comment 17 comments

Story-email Email Printer Print

More from Lone Star Ball

Stat of the Day

Aug 2009 by Adam J. Morris - 307 comments

Rosenthal on the Rangers

Jul 2009 by Adam J. Morris - 166 comments

Friday morning Rangers stuff

Jul 2009 by Adam J. Morris - 369 comments

48-41

Jul 2009 by Adam J. Morris - 99 comments

Comments

Display:

SBNation player pages

I noticed that you are now linking player names to their SBN player pages. Is there anyway that those pages could include statistics? In my unsolicited opinion, those pages are kinda worthless without some stats.

"He's old school in that he give up his groin like that. It hurt me when he do that" -- Worsh on Chris Davis' stretch at first base to end the game vs. the Angels on 5/16

by tricer on Jun 1, 2009 6:40 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

Its got age, height, and weight

What else would you ever need to know about a player?

By 2028, Mark Teixeira will be in the HOF.
-The Outlaw

by Gdawg on Jun 1, 2009 6:55 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Major or degree of study, like college basketball does.

The world needs more kinesiologists..

¡Prefiero morir de pie que vivir siempre arrodillado!

I came here to split hairs. And you?

by Chase Irwin on Jun 2, 2009 12:06 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

GoodFace???

I have no objection to man walking on the moon.

by Chad Crudup on Jun 2, 2009 10:37 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

It was a good chat

I appreciated his answering my Andrus question, and I have a greater respect for why he felt the way he did before, preferring to see a player doing well, rather than just “holding his own” in a league that he’s too young for.

I think the most interesting question was the one about farm systems repeating as the best in the game. You had the Mets right before their 86 world championship, the Jays a few years before their two titles, the Braves right in the midst of their dynasty and right before their title, and the Rays right before a World Series appearance. If we can somehow repeat at the best farm system in the game, I’d say we’re VERY well positioned for October excitement.

"wORLD sEIRES HERE WE COMER!!!!!!!!!"by bigsteve on May 29, 2009 10:21 PM PDT
"Elvis Andrus has just performed a miracle." -Eric Nadel

by WestTxAg06 on Jun 1, 2009 7:03 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

this is another reason i tend to want us to go after HS prepsters rather than college kids
[Comment From Tim]
Do you see any market inefficiencies in the draft of types of players who are traditionally undervalued?
1:47
Jim Callis: The biggest is that teams’ preference for college players over high schoolers means a lot of the high schoolers go lower than they should and can be nice value picks if you’re willing to spend to sign them.

also this was interesting in a rangers draft related note:

Is there a great hitter like last year’s Smoak that might fall to Texas at 14? Or is it more likely that an arm that wants a ton of money? Thanks for your time
1:46
Jim Callis: No, because this draft is decidedly pitcher-heavy. The only hitter who’s a consensus top-10 talent is North Carolina 1B Dustin Ackely, and he may be gone at No. 2. The best athlete in the draft, Georgia HS OF Donavan Tate, could fall because of signability, but a lot of teams aren’t sold enough on the bat to meet his $6 million asking price. It’s more likely one of the expensive HS pitchers, Jacob Turner or Tyler Matzek or Matthew Purke, falls and gets taken by Texas.

if matzek or turner were to fall id do cartwheels and kiss santa on the lips.

mormons stole me and held me against my will with Oklahoma beer and 12+ hour work days.

by Jayslick on Jun 1, 2009 7:32 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

Agreed

Turner, Matzek, Purke or Miller I would be very happy with.

2009 Texas Rangers: Why The Hell Not Us?--ghtd36 on May 13, 2009

by boomer1 on Jun 1, 2009 8:36 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

edinson just said

anything josh can do, i can do better…

"if my kid said 'uhh' that much, i would say, Hey! ... stop saying 'uhh' that much..." - dennis miller

by Longhorn on Jun 1, 2009 8:40 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

there it is again ...

he says Smoak is a better defender than Davis.

a. I don’t see it

if it’s true, then wow

by texasraider on Jun 1, 2009 9:37 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

Smoak

have always had the scouts going gaga over his defense (at least from what I read up on).

And Davis has come somewhat back to Earth with his UZRs at least. 2.8 UZR so far with a 9.9 UZR/150 pace.

OTOH, Cruz and Hamilton along with Andrus and Kinsler still have some amazing UZRs and Vizquel is going on an even higher pace!

Ranger’s UZRs

R

by Requiem on Jun 1, 2009 9:55 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Its just interesting to keep seeing Smoak called the better defender

when Davis is the best defensive 1B in baseball and the Rangers saying that they think Smoak still has to work on his defense some.

By 2028, Mark Teixeira will be in the HOF.
-The Outlaw

by Gdawg on Jun 1, 2009 10:30 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

I'm repeating myself

but I think the difference in their gloves will prove to be negligible over the long haul. The differences in their bats, however…

G G G E-flat_______ F F F D__________....

by t ball on Jun 1, 2009 11:23 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

I just think that

people like this don’t realize how good Davis has gotten defensively.

by Brett Perryman on Jun 2, 2009 4:48 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

If you believe

UZR/150 is fairly accurate, he has gone from 2.2 to 9.9 runs saved over the course of a full time season.

Oddly enough, Blalock shows higher with 11.9.

Which reminds me why I think most defensive metrics are questionable. I don’t think there is any doubt Davis is the better defender. I don’t think that CD is a good enough defender to be above replacement level given his bat, though.

"Guillermo Moscoso despite his stunning game yesterday, is not a legit prospect. He is simply too old, too skinny, too weak, and lacks the fastball to make it at the professional level. ." - crops.mlblogs.com

by DJCahill on Jun 2, 2009 4:54 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Comments For This Post Are Closed


User Tools

Welcome to the SB Nation blog about Texas Rangers.
Start posting about the Rangers »

Join SB Nation and dive into communities focused on all your favorite teams.

FanPosts

Community blog posts and discussion.

Recommended FanPosts

Highfidelity_small
Rangers 2009 Top Plays/Highlights Video
Rangers_small
Adam J. Morris Facebook Fan Page
Ochomerun_small
Feliz The Cheeez
Small
If Lone Star Ball were a movie
Small
Highlights from the Mid-Winter Banquet

Recent FanPosts

110307_1802_00__small
People in my Keeper Fantasy League (and those interested in joining)
Small
Jose Vallejo out for the year
Eastwood_small
Rank the Baseball Commissioners
Th_buckykatt_small
Super Bowl Thread
39135485-59af19dbb26654095f910f34176af094_4ae8a81e-scaled_small
Predictions Group
Cj_photo_day_small
LSB Community Prospect Project: Post Season #30
110307_1802_00__small
so...
Rangersp_small
Other Rangers uni numbers that should be retired?
Sbn_ds_small
Best In The West

+ New FanPost All FanPosts >

SPONSORS


Managers

Th_buckykatt_small Adam J. Morris